


it must be l.o.v.e, 200% sure of that; nomin

by kkumjens



Series: a little dash of sugar [2]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - College/University, Falling In Love, Fluff, M/M, Soft Pining, acting major! jaemin, actor/barista! jeno, lapslock, nomin, side markhyuck, slow(?) burn, this was rly hard to write but i had so much fun writing it hhh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-24
Updated: 2019-08-24
Packaged: 2020-09-25 04:57:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,278
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20371060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kkumjens/pseuds/kkumjens
Summary: jaemin has a record of being late, but when it comes to falling in love, nothing can hold him back.in which jaemin and jeno fall in love in empty coffee cups, spilled espresso shots, drama scripts, and everything in between.—alt-title - 정말이야 널 좋아하는데, 빨갛게 익은 내 얼굴이 그걸 증명해





	1. act 1 ; scene 1

**Author's Note:**

> nomin one-shot; fluff, soft pining, falling in love; maple & bean universe; 5.3k
> 
> a week after i posted the [markhyuck](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20001472) fic, i went back to the café where i wrote it in, and i thought, _why not?_  
so after a little over two weeks (,and many, many hours spent trying not to toss my laptop out of a window), this baby was born :”  
hope u all like it!!
> 
> here’s a [playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3F6b9C5sodXcB7PRHsxbBz) of songs i imagine to be played at maple & bean, hopefully it helps u feel the vibe of the café :)
> 
> both titles are from 200% - akdong musician

jaemin is late. 

well to be fair, it wasn’t his fault. it’s not really his problem that his professor (and veteran actor) kim taehyung always got a little too excited during every action drama class, given his professor’s years of experience in the specific field of action movies. 

don't get him wrong - jaemin really enjoys professor kim (or taehyung hyung, as he always insists on his students calling him)’s classes. although only a few years older than he was, the actor was so much more experienced, and despite his fame, his professor was all-the-more humble, always reaching out to form friendships with students both inside _and_ outside the acting department. (it’s not surprising that he’s one of the most favoured professors on campus, let alone the acting department.)

nonetheless, jaemin is running late.   
literally _ running _ late, through the corridor and down the stairs like death was at his tail.

only, jaemin was running straight towards the claws of death.

because donghyuck was _ so _ going to fucking murder him.

•┈୨♡୧┈•

his messenger bag knocked against his side as he ran, panting. [ jaemin’s ](https://ibb.co/sFvV7Q6) blouse was out of place, his pink hair a mess, but he only stuttered to a stop when he reached the fountain, walking to where donghyuck stood, annoyance emanating from the older.

jaemin chewed his lip, meekly taking a step closer and sighs in (very, very short-lived) relief. 

[ donghyuck ](https://ibb.co/FY87Hmr) was on the phone, his back to jaemin, which automatically pushes back jaemin’s impending doom by a few more minutes.

“no, minhyungie, i’m still coming, i promise!! jaemin probably got eaten by a plant on the way or something, i’m still waiting for him- no baby, of course i wouldn’t blow you off!!” donghyuck said. jaemin didn’t have to look at him to know he was pouting. hyuck turned around mid-sentence, and finally saw his friend, or rather, soon-to-be _ dead _ friend.

donghyuck squinted at jaemin, a wicked, wicked smile spreading across his face, and jaemin flinched visibly, smiling weakly and taking a step back.

“minghyungie~ the little shit finally decided to show up!! i’ll be there in a few~~ love you!” donghyuck continued in a sugary sweet voice, and jaemin swore he saw a glint in hyuck’s eye.

a bead of cold sweat made its way down the back of jaemin’s neck as donghyuck hung up, finally properly placing all his attention on jaemin.

hyuck takes a step closer, smile only growing wider to the panic imminent on jaemin’s face.

“h-hyuckie, calm down, i can expl- _ oof! _” jaemin stuttered, when hyuck suddenly threw his arms around the younger, the sudden weight making jaemin stumble.

“...hyuck?”

“thank _ fuck _ you’re here.. i was starting to think that you gave up on me, o-or you finally decided that i’m not good enough for minhyung, or maybe you got k-kidnapped or somethin-”

“yah, hyuck-ah…” jaemin was caught off-guard. he’d never seen the insecure side of donghyuck before, the older always loud, bright and cheerful, albeit his shyness around new people.

to see this side of him just shows how much minhyung means to him. jaemin smiled a little at the thought, heart brimming with happiness for his friend.

and so he hugged hyuck back, squeezing his arms tightly around him.

“now why would i ditch something as important as meet the person who’s had you smiling all month? don’t be silly, hyuckie. now, as much as i’d love to stand here and hug all day, i think minhyung’s waiting, unless you want to ditch hi-_ ow!_”

donghyuck straightened up, sniffing pettily as jaemin clutched to his arm in mock-pain.

“come on, _ loser_.”

•┈୨♡୧┈•

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> donghyuck is such a softie for minhyung :"


	2. act 1 ; scene 2

the freshly-dried mug clinked against the others in the cabinet, as [ jeno ](https://ibb.co/KqwKZRz) reached for the next one on the wet rack, watching minhyung fix his hair for the tenth time in amusement.

“mark hyung, i’m sure that combing that specific strand of hair fifty times won’t make much of a difference, chill. someone would think you’re meeting hyuck’s parents or something.”

[ minhyung ](https://ibb.co/MRtbCYs) choked at the mention of donghyuck’s parents, flushing beetroot red.   
jeno rolled his eyes, though mostly out of fondness for the older. 

“honestly, why are you even so nervous? it’s just hyuck’s best friend.” 

minhyung was quivering like a bow. jeno wished minhyung hadn’t put the no-phones policy up (that minhyung himself keeps breaking shamelessly, by the way) - he was _ dying _ to record the older and send it to donghyuck.

jeno had grown closer, much closer, to the photography student; it wasn’t hard to see why minhyung only seemed to fall more in love with him as time went by. it wasn’t simply because they were same-age friends, there was always a fire that burned about hyuck, drawing others in - he was passionate about photography, fiercely protective of his friends, and he burns especially bright, for minhyung. donghyuck is sweet, scary, and very, very adorable at the same time, unlike his idiot of a boyfriend, who was currently spluttering—

“i-it’s important to hyuck, so it’s important to me, too! tch, you wouldn’t know anything about this kind of stuff, you _ flirt_!”

jeno grinned. minhyung was _ such _ a dork.   
it’s ironic that he’s working in a café when he himself disliked the tangy bitterness of caffeine, but having his favourite hyung as his boss made it all the more worth it.

“hyung-ah, you act all cool when you’re with hyuck but you’re just the biggest dork through and through, it’s so hilarious.”

“s-shut up!”

•┈୨♡୧┈•

the doorbell tinkled as the two shoved each other playfully.   
minhyung immediately bolted upright, alert, as donghyuck sauntered in, giggling at something, another boy clutched to his arm, head ducked as he laughed, shoulders shaking.

the boy’s hair was a mop of baby pink.   
jeno found himself strangely intrigued, placing the mug down, tilting his head to the side in curiosity. 

the duo stopped at the counter, hyuck untangling their arms and leaning forward to give a stiff minhyung a peck on the lips.

“minnie, this is jaemin!!!”

the pink-haired boy next to him smiled, a full-on honey-sweet grin, teeth showing. jeno blinks.

“hi minhyung hyung, i’m nana. nice to finally meet you.”

_ nana. _

he turned to jeno, eyes crinkling again.   
jaemin did a little cutesy wave, eyes gleaming. jeno’s stomach drops, a dead weight.

“you must be jeno! hyuckie told me that we’re same-age friends~~ let’s get along well!”

jeno’s chest feels strangely warm, but he musters up a smile.

“hi, nana.”

•┈୨♡୧┈•

the trio settled at one of the sofa tables near the counter, minhyung comically stiff next to donghyuck, nana- _ jaemin_’s back facing the counter.

minhyung stuttered something about getting them drinks, and _ marched _, like a soldier, back to the counter. jeno cringed from second-hand embarrassment, hiding half his face behind a dishcloth and shying to the other end of the counter, but hyuck only stared after him in endearment.

“ah, you’re so whipped for him, hyuckie,” jeno heard jaemin teasingly say, voice lilting.

minhyung, hearing the exchange, nearly dropped the cup of americano with a scary amount of extra espresso shots.   
(jeno wrinkled his nose at the thought of how bitter the coffee would be, and secretly hoped it wasn’t for mark himself - the older was shaking enough as it is.)

•┈୨♡୧┈•

after an hour, minhyung finally seemed to warm up, relaxing in his seat and even leaning against donghyuck, who folded himself naturally against his side, cuddling up to minhyung.   
jeno kept post behind the counter, taking customers’ orders.

it was a slow wednesday afternoon - not many students came by; but as he was working alone, jeno was still preoccupied with making drinks, taking the extra time he had on his hands to do elaborate latte art he didn’t often have the liberty to do.

despite that, every now and then, jeno found his eyes flitting over to the pale pink mop of hair just over the coffee bean grinder.

their table was close, and jeno laughed softly along with jaemin, as donghyuck eagerly retold the story of his first date with minhyung.

(“minnie dipped his fries in ketchup just because i did, it was hilarious - the second he put that fry in his mouth, i already knew something was up~~” 

“hyuck-ah, please-”

“what? it’s cute… awe look at you, you’re all flustered!!”)

•┈୨♡୧┈•

jeno was humming, working on a rose latte as he half-listened in to the conversation, when jaemin suddenly turned around, glancing at jeno.

jeno felt a jolt when their eyes met, and jaemin smiles shyly, front teeth peeking out between his lips.

jeno freezes for the most miniscule of moments, before letting his eyes crinkle into his signature eye-smile in response, and then the moment was broken, when jaemin turned back around to comment on something minhyung had said.

•┈୨♡୧┈•

they finally left when dinnertime rolled around, donghyuck poutily whining about how minhyung couldn’t come along. minhyung pressed a kiss to hyuck’s forehead in response, with the promise of calling him before bed, and jaemin giggled at their cuteness.

peering around minhyung, jaemin flashed jeno another smile.

“i’ll see you again, nono~~”

it sounded strangely like a promise.   
before he could stop himself, the corners of jeno’s mouth lifted involuntarily at the cute nickname, a genuine smile, void of the flirty flair he often reserved for customers.

“see you again, nana.”

•┈୨♡୧┈•


	3. act 1 ; scene 3

and he did, the very next day.

the café’d just opened, and jeno was carefully moving the new batch of coffee beans to the store room, when a familiar mop of pink hair popped up at the counter, cutely resting his chin in his hands.

turning around, jeno had nearly dropped the sack, and the latter giggled, pleased with his reaction.

“morning, nono~”

jeno later learned that the monstrous concoction minhyung made the day before was jaemin’s staple drink.

•┈୨♡୧┈•

jaemin popped in and out of the café, sometimes just for a quick coffee fix, and others to kill time before another class.

jeno liked it a lot when jaemin stayed, sipping his americano (with four espresso shots), seated on a bar stool at the counter.

but why, jeno doesn’t know.

he just feels a little warmth in his chest, a pleasant fluttering, when the younger (“it’s just a few months, nono!!”) chattered away about unimportant things, like how his professor got a new pair of gucci slides (“taehyung-hyung’s style is exquisite, honestly!”), or how his taeyong hyung mothered him too much.

jaemin chatters on, and jeno slowly learns that jaemin is very, very special.

jeno learns jaemin doesn’t have siblings, but secretly wants a sister.   
he learns the younger can’t live without honey tteokbokki, and he can’t eat dairy.   
he learns jaemin used to be a kpop trainee, but left in favour of acting, loving the possibility of living through a million lifetimes in the course of one.

he learns a lot of things about jaemin, but the one that stuck to him the most was this - how jaemin’s eyes shine when he talks about what he likes, what he loves, and his family, and the way his eyes curve when he laughs, mouth wide.   
jeno is enamoured and doesn’t know what to do, what to say. he forms sentences in his head, but they don’t make it past the knot in his throat.

jaemin seemed curious about jeno too, pausing after every story he shared about himself, but didn’t seem to think it was his place to ask, as he simply took another sip of his coffee and changed the topic.

so jeno tells him, swallowing past the stone lodged at the back of his mouth.

•┈୨♡୧┈•

jeno tells jaemin, and jaemin listens.

in between making drinks, jeno tells him about his older sister, about bongsik, seolie and lalie, and how he kept his babies even though he was allergic.   
he tells him about the commercials he shot as a child, how he got street casted on the train, tiny hand still clutched in his mother’s.   
jeno tells him, about dropping out of college and his career of freelancing in the modelling and acting industry, how he’s only taking a break while working at the café, to study up for a character in an upcoming big project.

jaemin was a great listener; he nodded at all the right parts, attentive, hanging onto every word jeno says, and slowly, the knot in jeno’s throat dissipates.

at the mention of his acting career, however, jaemin leaned forward, out of his seat, blinking expectantly, coffee momentarily forgotten. 

so jeno entertains him, tells him about the background roles he’d played in dramas, and going into the nitty-gritty details of modelling for seoul fashion week. maybe he shares more than he should by telling jaemin about his next big project, but the way the younger’s eyes widen after every experience he shared threw jeno’s caution to the wind.

somewhere halfway through a story, jeno trails off in the middle of a sentence, realising their close proximity, jaemin inches closer from shuffling forward in excitement.

jeno stared at jaemin. he had impossibly long lashes, all thick and pretty, curling against his cheekbones when he blinked, eyes big and imploring. jaemin fidgets on his feet, and a stray piece of hair falls into his eyes. jeno’s hand twitched dumbly at his side, as if it yearned to reach out and tuck it behind his ear.

jaemin stared back, the air between them crackling like static.   
for a second, jeno dimly wonders how it would feel like to hold jaemin’s hand.   
and then.

and then there were two.

“oiiii! what’d i say about flirting with my customers!”

god forbid mark from popping out of nowhere all the time. 

jeno jumped a foot in the air, and jaemin giggled, laughter tinkling sweet, leaning backwards to sit on his stool, hand stirring his straw lazily.

“i... wasn’t flirting.” jeno’s face was hotly flushed. 

mark’s seagull eyebrows shot to the ceiling.   
“sure, and i’m not gay.” 

“shut it, mark hyung.”

“_make me. _ ” the elder stuck out his tongue, waggling it teasingly.   
jeno shoved at mark teasingly - he really couldn’t believe this 5-year-old was older than them.

“but markie hyung,” jaemin cut in, (it seemed a habit of his to call friends cutesy nicknames,)   
“if _ i’m _ the one flirting with nono, is it still against your employee regulations?”

minhyung was caught off guard, eyes widening imperceptibly, and jaemin batted his eyes innocently at the older, an impish smile dancing on his lips.

“i- just- i give up. do whatever you want.”

minhyung headed to the back room, exasperation rolling off him in waves, and the two giggled as he went.

•┈୨♡୧┈•

since that day, something shifted between the two. jaemin would always swing by first thing in the morning, and after his classes, claiming that the café was the only place that got his order perfect, or that he worked best on his assignments there.

but as jeno worked, he would feel the younger’s eyes on him (instead of his laptop screen), as they talked about unimportant things absentmindedly.   
and when jeno passed jaemin his drink, jaemin’s fingers started to linger a little too long, a little too gentle, a tender brush that made jeno shudder.

somewhere in between conversations, jaemin dared jeno to give his coffee a taste, only to burst out laughing when jeno’s face scrunched up in disgust.   
(“what the hell, this tastes like fucking _charcoal_!”   
“lee jeno! no swearing in front of the customers!”)

their fleeting, flirty comments went by not unnoticed, but ignored.

it slowly became a habit of jeno’s to give jaemin an unhealthy amount of free refills, just to keep him around a little longer.   
(though jaemin always sat around long after he was done, until the sun was setting, and jeno had to close up shop for minhyung.)

and when he locked up the café, he walked jaemin to the dorms with no fail. he was never asked to, but jeno did so anyway, since the campus was just nearby.   
(or perhaps, that was the excuse he gave himself to walk a little longer next to jaemin, comfortable silence hanging between them.)

jaemin fit into his life so seamlessly, so naturally, that jeno didn’t even notice, until his thoughts were just a jumbled mess of _jaemin_. 

jeno thinks he’s gone mad.

minhyung _ says _ he’s whipped.

•┈୨♡୧┈•

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> mark is both the worst and best hyung, i can't decide;;;


	4. act 1 ; scene 4

“do you have a crush on minhyungie or something?”

jaemin choked on his ramen, tiny chunks of noodles spraying out of his mouth as he laughed.

donghyuck grimaced in distaste, tossing a stack of napkins at jaemin.

“sorry hyuckie, your boyfriend is cute but? why would i-“ jaemin wheezed out between fits of laughter. “i just- i don’t understand. he’s not my type, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“well, then why are you seeing my boyfriend more than i do? what am i supposed to _ think_?” the older demanded, pouting.

“it’s because-” a flash of blond hair and familiar eye smile came to mind, his name barely hanging off the tip of jaemin’s tongue, but at the thought, jaemin sobered up, swallowing the rest of his sentence, mouth pursing.

hyuck’s eyes narrowed as he tapped his chin with the top of his chopsticks, calculating gaze making jaemin look down at the table as he fiddled with his thumbs.

“don’t tell me... _ jeno? _”

jaemin’s cheeks reddened, and he kept silent. he’d deliberately avoided talking about jeno over the weeks in fear of hyuck finding out, but his current silence only seemed to confirm his friend’s suspicions, who was currently smirking like a cat that got the cream.

said _ friend _ had also reached for his phone, typing away at lightspeed. from what jaemin knew of donghyuck, he was probably typing a text to taeyong, who would probably tell jaehyun, who’d _ most _ probably tell ten, an upperclassman who was a friend of theirs, and also happened to know a certain lee jen-

“hyuckie, please, no.” jaemin cut in, pulling off the best puppy dog eyes he could. he couldn’t risk jeno knowing about this, not when he wasn’t even sure if his feelings were reciprocated. he’d had crushes, many of which donghyuck didn’t know of - some were fleeting, gone in a day or two - but some, he still held onto wisps of memories, of a younger version of himself, quietly admiring them from afar as months, _ years _ went by, too afraid to take the first step, too afraid of the pain of rejection.

his pleading seemed to do the trick, as the older sighs, setting down his phone.

“fine. but you have to promise me you won’t let him go, when was the last time you actually, genuinely, liked someone? cha eunwoo from 12th grade? and you let him go too, even when he! liked! you! back! i’m actually going to combust if you say you’re gonna give up on jeno when you haven’t even _ tried _ yet-“ hyuck went off ranting, and jaemin nodded along inattentively, picking at his ramen.

“are you even listening? _ god, _ you’re not even listening.” hyuck waved a hand in front of jaemin’s face, and he blinked, startled out of his daze.

“hyuckie, he’s just being nice to me, it’s nothing.”

“yeah, he _ just _ gives you free coffee refills and walks you back to the dorms every night, which is _definitely _ normal for a _ platonic friend, _jaemin-ah, please tell me you’re not that dense.”

at jaemin’s shocked face, hyuck rolled his eyes and said, “what, you didn’t think i’d know? i’ll have to remind you that _my_ **_boyfriend_**_ owns the café _**_your_**_ pretty boy works in._”

“he’s not _my _ boy!”

_ “yet.” _

•┈୨♡୧┈•

later, when jaemin was sipping at his coffee and typing away at an essay, hyuck’s words from earlier still running through his mind, jeno handed him his phone, a new contacts page pulled up.

“what’s this?” jaemin glanced up, cheeky grin on full force. “asking for my number, pretty boy?” he smirked, winking at the older, despite the roar of blood rushing to his ears.

jeno blinked furiously, blush spreading down his neck.

“u-uh, i’m getting the script for the drama?? the project i mentioned a while ago, in about a week, and i was wondering if we could meet up and you could go over it with me, maybe give me some pointers, because it’s my first big role and i’ve never had any proper acting training…”

jaemin smiled despite himself. jeno was so endearing when he was flustered, cheeks dusted pink and all stuttery.

jaemin took the phone and typed his number in, saving his contact as “나나 (୨୧ᵕ̤ᴗᵕ̤)”, smiling up at the older, who quickly glanced away.

“text me when you get the script, okay?”

“yeah. thanks, nana.”

“no problem, pretty boy,” jaemin paused, pursing his lips, and jeno looked up in curiosity.

“but you know, if you wanted a date, _ babe_, all you had to do was ask.”

jeno’s breath stuttered, and his arm flailed aimlessly, setting off something on the coffee machine, a cloud of steam hissing out.

(“what the f_uck _ was that nois- **LEE JENO. DID YOU JUST WASTE AN ENTIRE ESPRESSO SHOT. ** ** _MY_****. OUTRAGEOUSLY. EXPENSIVE. ESPRESSO.**” 

“mark hyung, i-” 

“**OH MY ** ** _GOD_ ** ** IS THAT YOUR PHONE I SEE? DURING WORKING HOURS? YOU MOTHERFUCKING BRAT JUST WAIT TILL I GET MY HANDS ON YO-**”)

•┈୨♡୧┈•

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i feel so sorry for mark hhhh im sorry bubs take a day off or smn to go make out with hyuckie alsdkfjdskf


	5. act 1 ; scene 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> important notes at the end!!!

letting the front door swing shut behind him, jaemin skipped to the living room, flopping onto the couch with a sigh. reaching into his bag on the floor, he pulled the new assignment outline professor kim had handed out in class that day, quickly skimming through the contents. 

just as he was in the beginnings of tearing his hair apart (he loved taehyung, honestly, but did he ** _have_ ** to give them such difficult assignments?), his phone buzzed with a new message.

setting his paper aside, he picked up his phone, pleasantly surprised that it was, indeed, jeno.

_ unknown number _   
uh, hi is this nana??   
it’s jeno :3

_나나 (୨୧ᵕ̤ᴗᵕ̤)_  
miss me already?? (ʃƪ˘⌣˘) ~♡   
u literally just dropped me off hehe (⁎⁍̴̆Ɛ⁍̴̆⁎)

_ ( _ _ unknown number _ _ saved as “ _ _ 노노 ♡(ӦｖӦ｡) _ _ ”) _

_노노 ♡(ӦｖӦ｡__)_  
u rly never stop flirting do u (- - ;)   
i just wanted to make sure u had my number smh   
wyd!

_ 나나 (୨୧ᵕ̤ᴗᵕ̤) _   
texting the loml (^_−)−☆

_ 노노 ♡(ӦｖӦ｡) _   
…../really/ nana (¬_¬)

_ 나나 (୨୧ᵕ̤ᴗᵕ̤) _   
fiiiiine, im reading the new assignment taehyung hyung gave out today ><

_ 노노 ♡(ӦｖӦ｡) _   
!!!   
what’s it about?

_나나 (୨୧ᵕ̤ᴗᵕ̤)_  
it’s more like,, a plotless scenario _:(´ཀ`」 ∠):   
the assignment is to make up a scenario based on the script...   
i’m stuck ㅠㅠ   
i’m so much better at plain improv :’<

_ 노노 ♡(ӦｖӦ｡) _   
..want me to help? ^^

_ 나나 (୨୧ᵕ̤ᴗᵕ̤) _   
you would do that? for me? o(*////▽////*)q

_노노 ♡(ӦｖӦ｡)_  
stop it before i take my offer back •̀ㅅ•́   
i’m p good at this kinda stuff bc drama auditions r similar hehe   
send me the script n ill give u ideas maybe?

_나나 (୨୧ᵕ̤ᴗᵕ̤)_  
can i call u instead(´༎ຶོρ༎ຶོ`)   
hyuckie isn’t back yet n i’m lonely ಥ_ಥ

_노노 ♡(ӦｖӦ｡)_  
(｡-_-｡)   
no.

_ 나나 (୨୧ᵕ̤ᴗᵕ̤) _   
p-please?  
_  
( _ _ img_ily_nono.jpg _ _ attached) _

_노노 ♡(ӦｖӦ｡)_  
goddamit.   
f-fine.   
ure so annoying i stg. -,-

_ (incoming call from: " _ _ 나나 (୨୧ᵕ̤ᴗᵕ̤) _ _ " _ _ ) _

•┈୨♡୧┈•

it slowly became somewhat of a habit.

jaemin would call jeno, or the other way round, before bed, and they’d talk, hours and hours into the night, until more often than not, jaemin fell asleep on the phone, breathing evenly into the receiver, sending soft shivers down jeno’s spine. the first time it happened, jeno wasn’t offended, despite how another might’ve assumed jaemin fell asleep from boredom; rather, jeno’s heart swelled warm, secretly smiling at how the younger murmured gibberish in his sleep.

(jaemin had told him the next morning at the café, cheeks still puffy from sleep, that he’d fallen asleep because of jeno’s soft voice. starting from that night, jeno sang to jaemin for an hour or so after the younger fell asleep, before hanging up - his flatmate and resident mom, doyoung, had whined about jeno loving someone else other than _him_ for days on end, though jeno had ignored him, knowing that doyoung was only trying to weasel him into doing his chores for him.) 

nonetheless, sleepy phone calls before bed became their routine, which slowly gave way for morning calls, (where jaemin not-so-subtly melts to jeno’s husky morning voice, to donghyuck’s utter disgust,) and soon after, random calls all through the day.

(minhyung threatened to take jeno’s phone and snap it in half every time he catches jeno laughing away into his phone receiver while on the job, but honestly, who is he to deny a boy his happiness, especially when said boy has an angelic smile and is called lee jeno?)

they also met up regularly on every wednesday, 6pm at the school fountain, to go over jeno’s script. jeno had received it in the mail shortly after they exchanged numbers, and as promised, jaemin offered to help him out with it. the project was a web-drama called “love playlist”, directed and released by a popular web-drama channel on vlive.

the drama was set in university, and jeno was a part of one of the main couples in the plot. jaemin wasn’t so pleased about it, pouting pettily when fluff scenes came up in the script, but he was happy for jeno’s big role all the same.

•┈୨♡୧┈• 

hearing jeno’s voice and seeing his face throughout every week has jaemin floating around campus and in and out of the café in a pink, fluffy haze. he’d always thought the excessive use of sparkly, rose-tinted filters in kdramas, when the female protagonist realises she’s in love, were unnecessary and overly-dramatic, but suddenly he thinks he’s beginning to understand why.

when jeno smiles at him, jaemin’s blood tingles in his veins, a ticklish sensation; when they laugh about an inside joke, earning a strange look from minhyung, jaemin smiles big, cheeks almost hurting; and when jeno automatically hands him a ready-made americano once he slides into his seat at the counter, jaemin’s heart squeezes tight, warmth rushing to his ears. 

jaemin tells all this to donghyuck over lunch one wednesday, long gotten past his fear of him knowing, and the older rolls his eyes, exasperated.

“_please _, save me the pain and ask him out already. i’m so tired of your fluffy gay shenanigans, honestly, the two of you are even worse than me and minhyungie, and you aren’t even together yet.”

_ yet. _

jaemin’s heart flutters excitedly, swooning, and donghyuck swears he sees sparkles and hearts bursting behind jaemin as he goes over what he’d said to set him off, thumping his head on the cafeteria table when he realises his mistake.

“fucking _ hell_, he’s finally lost it.”

and when donghyuck takes his tray and moves to another table, muttering about how he’s going to get poor digestion if he continues eating with jaemin as he goes, jaemin doesn’t even notice, already caught up in another daydream about booping jeno’s adorable nose when they meet up to go over jeno’s script later that day.

•┈୨♡୧┈• 

jaemin was distracted. _ very _ distracted.

when jaemin met up with him at the school fountain, as usual, he nearly tripped over three plants consecutively on his way towards jeno, so out of it, that he didn’t even notice jeno giggling at him. and as jeno read through his script, going over the parts he really wasn’t sure about whether he was doing the right thing or conveying the right emotion, he turned to jaemin, only to find the younger daydreaming, gaze unfocused.

it annoyed jeno a little, but something about the way jaemin was curled up on the bench, hand cupping his chin, staring dazedly at nothing tugged at his heartstrings.

and before he knew it, jeno leaned forward, gently cupping jaemin’s face, and pressed a short kiss to his lips.

the warm brush of jaemin soft lips on his was all that it took to make jeno realise what he had done, and he leaned back abruptly, blushing furiously.

preparing himself for rejection, jeno was about to apologise, but at the sight of jaemin’s equally red cheeks, eyes zeroed in on where jeno was biting his lip nervously, a gentle teasing smile made its way to his lips instead.

“if you wanted to help, you should pay attention to what i’m asking you, nana-ah.”

that seemed to snap jaemin back to reality, his mouth parting as if to say something in reply, but he ducked his head instead, playing with his hands.

so jeno went back to his script, ears still burning a ferocious red. neither of them talked about the kiss, but it seemed to have jeno’s desired effect - jaemin was able to finally focus on helping him, stopping jeno to give him constructive criticism at parts he could improve, albeit his constant avoidance of jeno’s eyes.

it was only later, when they were walking back to jaemin’s dorm, jaemin’s warm hand in his, that jaemin mumbled under his breath, so quiet that jeno couldn’t decipher what he’d said.

“nana, did you say something?”

jaemin looked down at his shoes as they walked, but jeno could see pink dusting his cheeks.

“i said, i don’t kiss just anyone.” jaemin said, louder this time. 

the corners of jeno’s lips quirked up subconsciously. “i’m not just _ anyone_, though.”

“that’s not what i meant.” jaemin pouted then, and jeno giggled, only to have jaemin turn towards him and finally look at him in the eyes that night, pouting even harder.

by that time, they’d reached his dorm building, and they stopped under the streetlamp outside, lingering, neither of them wanting to leave, hands gently intertwined.

jeno knew exactly what jaemin wanted, and he knew it was mean, but after weeks and weeks of jaemin flustering him with flirty texts, he deserved to enjoy this tiny moment of having the upper hand against jaemin for once. 

so he waggled his eyebrows, and let the words slip out of his mouth—

“are you implying you want me to ask you out?”

jaemin was visibly frustrated about not getting the exact question he wanted, and at the question, jaemin’s features scrunched up cutely, stomping his foot on the ground like a child.   
jeno froze.

“did you just.. stomp your foot?”

“shut up, meanie.”

and at that, jeno couldn’t help himself, wrapping his arms around the younger, who tucked his head against the crook of jeno’s shoulder dutifully. jeno laughed.

“you’re so cute, nana-ah.”

“you don’t get to call me cute if you’re being mean, _jerk_.” jaemin’s voice was muffled against jeno’s sweater as he pressed his face harder against the side of his neck, but jeno could feel jaemin’s cheeks heating up. 

the close proximity made his heart speed fast, but he could feel jaemin’s heart thumping along with his as he toyed with a stray piece of thread on the hem of jeno’s sweater.

finally relenting, jeno loosened his hold on jaemin, leaning back a little so he could see his face. he reached out, tucking an imaginary piece of hair behind jaemin’s ear, and the younger stared up at him, gaze warm, both their cheeks tinted red.

“jaemin-ah, will you go out with me?”

jaemin’s eyes crinkled up as he grinned, tugging jeno back towards him, until they were flush against each other, jaemin’s breath mingling with jeno’s.

“thought you’d never ask.”

when they kissed again that night, under the glow of the streetlamp, gentle and slow, jeno realised it was the first time he’d called jaemin by his name.  
he smiled against jaemin’s lips, and when jaemin parted them, he tasted americano, but coffee has never tasted so sweet.

•┈୨ end of act 1 ୧┈• 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was such a ride :"  
it took me aGES to write bc i got a writer's block in the middle,,,  
i'm still not really confident in my writing, but i hope this was able to do nomin some justice!!  
oh dear, this is so much longer than my markhyuck fic,, my favouritism is showing ><
> 
> i was going to include the translation of the alternate title in the first chapter but decided to put it at the end to see if you noticed a little bit of an overarching theme on the fic:  
idk if u noticed but! nomin were rlly blushy in this fic,, which was the theme!! ^^  
the alternate title translates to "really, i like you, and you can see it in the way my cheeks redden."
> 
> i had no idea this would b a multi-chapter fic until i finished it hh;;  
thank u for making it to the end!!
> 
> lots and lots of love for isabel, who helped me beta read!  
and to steria, mars and pat, for motivating me to write and telling me my writing isn't bad :"
> 
> ps!! the webdrama that jeno's acting in actually exists!! it's one of my favourites on [vlive](https://www.vlive.tv/video/32530?channelCode=DEF407),, even though jeno isn't in the actual cast ^^ there's four seasons but all episodes are under 30 mins!! check it out if u have time :))
> 
> —  
comments + kudos are very, very appreciated :)
> 
> i'm also taking prompt requests on my [cc](https://curiouscat.me/petaljenos)
> 
> [twitter](https://twitter.com/dreamjens)


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